Show-case



(No Model.) 2 Shets-Sheet 1.

P. SANDERSON.

snow CASE.

No. 263,970; Patented Sept. 5, 1882.

I nvento r,-

aadw 2 N S R E D N A S R SHOW GASE.

N0. 263,970. Patented Sept. 5, 1882! L gibwessesv UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERICK SANDERSON, OF FRIEND, NEBRASKA.

SHOW-CASE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 263,970, dated September 5, 1882. Application filed June12,1882. (No model.) i

tion of a pivoted top, a false bottom, and arms which are attached to the door, and which extend in under the false bottom, so that when the door is closed it raises the false bottom to the same angle as the top, and in a position that best exposes the cigars or other goods on sale.

It further consists in the combinationof a false bottom which is hinged to the inside of the front of the case, and which has suitable slots made through it for the lids of cigar boxes to pass through, and thus hold the boxes in position, all of which will be more fully described hereinafter.

The object of my invention is to produce a show-case in which the goods exposed for sale are held pressed upward against the under side of the glass until the door is opened, when i the goods sink down to the bottom of the case,

and thus allow the pivoted cover to be opened directly in front of the examiner, so that he can insert his hand and select the cigars or other goods he desires to purchase.

Figure l is a vertical cross-section of my invention, showing the case closed. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the case complete. Fig. 3 is a. vertical cross-section showing the case open.

A represents a suitable showcase, which may be of any suitable size, shape, or con struction, and which may be made of any suitable material. The cover B of this case, instead of being made rigid, as is generally the case, is here pivoted at the points 0, so that when the door is opened the rear edge of the cover can be tilted downward, as shown in dotted lines, and thus raise the outer edge upward to allow the customer to insert the hand and select the article he desires to purchase.

Pivoted to the inside of the case A is the false slotted bottom D, which, when the case is closed, is held raised upward at the same angle as the cover B, so as to hold the goods placed upon its top near the glass, where they can be readily examined, and where they are exposed in the best possible manner. This false bottom, when used in a cigar-store, is slotted from end to end, so that the lids of the cigar-boxes can be turned back against the side of the box, and then the lower edges of the lids are passed down through the slots, as

shown. These slides are thus made to hold thev boxes securely in place. Where the case is to slots need not necessarily be used or, if the bottom is provided with slots,they may be hidden from view by means of any suitable covering which is placedover the bottom.

The door E is hinged to the rear edge of the case in the usual manner, and has hinged to it, near its upper edge, on its inner side, any desired number of arms Gr, which extend in under the false bottom and serve not only as levers to raise the bottom upward, but as supports to hold the bottom raised at the same an-' gle as the top of the case. The inner ends of these rods are not connected to the frame in any manner, but move freely back and forth in the case. For the purpose of allowing the door to be dropped down when it is opened, so as to be out ofthe way, these rods will bejointed and hinged together, as shown, so that the door can be dropped straight down, as shown in dotted lines. When the door is opened the rear edge of the top of the case has no support, and by pressing down this rear edge the front edge can be raised upward, as shown. When the door is closed it forms a lock or support for the top of the case in such a manner that 1. A show-case having a pivoted top, in combination with the door, which forms a support or look for the top, so as to prevent it from being opened while the door is closed, substantially as shown.

2. The combination of the show-case with a hinged shelf or bottom, D, and the door E, which forms a support for the rear edge of the shelf,sub*stantially as described.

3. A show-case having a false bottom hinged to its under side, the bottom being provided with slots for the lids of the boxes to catch in, substantially as set forth.

4. In a show-case, the combination of the false bottom, the door, and the rod or rods connected to the door for raising the bottom upward, substantially as specified.

5. The combination, in a show-case, of the hinged false bottom, the door, the rods connected to the door for raising the case upward, the rodsbeing jointed or hinged together, so that the door can drop downward out of the way, substantially as shown.

6. In a show-case, thecombination of a pivoted top and hinged false bottom, the door, and rods for catching under the false bottom, substantially as described.

In testimony whereofI afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

- FREDERICK SANDERSON.

Witnesses JNo. E. RULE, T. G. (JA'LLoHAN. 

